Posted on Saturday, December 12, 2009 [3:13 PM]

Undergraduate students (from left) Antoinette Gail Holland of Paris, Ky., Eduard Kahn of Columbia and Angie Kulchar of Tazewell, Va., move the tassels of their mortar boards from right to left, symbolically signifying their graduation from LWC. LWC conferred 314 degrees at its 90th commencement ceremony.

COLUMBIA, Ky. -- Much of life is beyond control, but people can take control of their lives.

That was the message delivered Saturday morning by Kentucky hall of fame journalist David V. Hawpe at Lindsey Wilson College's 2009 winter commencement.

"If these points sound contradictory, it's because they are," Hawpe said in his commencement address. "Life is one big contradiction. The best way to deal with that fact is by living an authentic life -- by living according to your own best principles and values."

Lindsey Wilson awarded a total of 314 undergraduate and graduate degrees at the ceremony, held in Biggers Sports Center.

The ceremony was LWC's sixth winter commencement, and it was the second largest winter commencement ceremony held at the college. LWC graduated a record 325 students in December 2008.

To put this year's winter commencement in perspective, Lindsey Wilson awarded 335 degrees during the 2003-04 school year, the last school year it held just one commencement ceremony.

Hawpe told the graduates that although the future is uncertain, a college degree is one of the best ways to prepare for its challenges.

"What you have done is prepare yourself for a life that will be full of surprises, loaded with unforeseen challenges and abounding with unexpected opportunities," he said. "An education at Lindsey Wilson, delivered in a context of values, is going to help you handle the tough mix of fastballs, curveballs and knuckleballs that life almost will throw at you."

Hawpe reminded the graduates that "history is bigger than any one of us."

"You can't control some of the big givens in your life. Things happen," he said. "I suspect you'll be pushed around on occasion by your life, but you can do something about that. You can look for the opportunity, or even a mission, in whatever comes you way."

The key to successfully dealing with uncertainty is to be authentic, Hawpe said.

"You have to know who you are. You have to be about something," he said. "You have to approach life with firmly held principles and values. You have to be authentic. You have to live an authentic life. … And the world will notice, because there's nothing quite so compelling as the example of an authentic life."

Hawpe received an honorary doctorate from the college. Also being honored by the Lindsey Wilson Board of Trustees and faculty with an honorary doctorate will be: Frances Smothers of Louisville, Ky., and Bill Squires of Greensburg, Ky.

Smothers and her late husband, Leo, have supported the Lindsey Wilson Fund for more than 35 years. In fact, Smothers has faithfully given monthly to the Lindsey Wilson Fund for the last 32 years.

Squires is a former assistant for gift planning to the Lindsey Wilson president and retried executive director of The Kentucky United Methodist Foundation.

COLUMBIA, Ky. -- Much of life is beyond control, but people can take control of their lives.
 

That was the message delivered Saturday morning by Kentucky hall of fame journalist David V. Hawpe at Lindsey Wilson College's 2009 winter commencement.
 

"If these points sound contradictory, it's because they are," Hawpe said in his commencement address. "Life is one big contradiction. The best way to deal with that fact is by living an authentic life -- by living according to your own best principles and values."
 

Lindsey Wilson awarded a total of 314 undergraduate and graduate degrees at the ceremony, held in Biggers Sports Center.
 

The ceremony was LWC's sixth winter commencement, and it was the second largest winter commencement ceremony held at the college. LWC graduated a record 325 students in December 2008.
 

To put this year's winter commencement in perspective, Lindsey Wilson awarded 335 degrees during the 2003-04 school year, the last school year it held just one commencement ceremony.
 

Hawpe told the graduates that although the future is uncertain, a college degree is one of the best ways to prepare for its challenges.
 

"What you have done is prepare yourself for a life that will be full of surprises, loaded with unforeseen challenges and abounding with unexpected opportunities," he said. "An education at Lindsey Wilson, delivered in a context of values, is going to help you handle the tough mix of fastballs, curveballs and knuckleballs that life almost will throw at you."
 

Hawpe reminded the graduates that "history is bigger than any one of us."
 

"You can't control some of the big givens in your life. Things happen," he said. "I suspect you'll be pushed around on occasion by your life, but you can do something about that. You can look for the opportunity, or even a mission, in whatever comes you way."
 

The key to successfully dealing with uncertainty is to be authentic, Hawpe said.
 

"You have to know who you are. You have to be about something," he said. "You have to approach life with firmly held principles and values. You have to be authentic. You have to live an authentic life. … And the world will notice, because there's nothing quite so compelling as the example of an authentic life."
 

Hawpe received an honorary doctorate from the college. Also honored by the Lindsey Wilson Board of Trustees and faculty with an honorary doctorate were: Frances Smothers of Louisville, Ky., and Bill Squires of Greensburg, Ky.
 

Smothers and her late husband, Leo, have supported the Lindsey Wilson Fund for more than 35 years. In fact, Smothers has faithfully given monthly to the Lindsey Wilson Fund for the last 32 years.
 

Squires is a former assistant for gift planning to the Lindsey Wilson president and retried executive director of The Kentucky United Methodist Foundation.